Most pet foods are either in the form of dried pellets or in the form of canned gelled products. The dried pellets are usually produced by combining various protein and starch sources, extruding the mixture, and drying the extrudate in an oven. The extrudate may be coated with various flavor substances to improve palatability. The end result is a hard, dry pellet. The pellets may be fed to the animals in this form or may be mixed with other foods such as canned gelled products.
The dried pellets are commonly used by pet owners since they form a convenient, easy-to-use food. Further the dried pellets are relatively inexpensive and have a long shelf life. However, while the palatability of dried pellets is often good, it is often less than that of canned gelled products. Also, all the dried pellets have the same texture which may lead to taste fatigue, or at least a perceived fatigue, on the part of the pet. Consequently, to further improve palatability and avoid fatigue, pet owners often mix canned gelled products into the dried pellets.
However, it would be advantageous to provide a pet food product which, being moisture-reduced, is convenient and easy-to-use but which has an appearance and texture more similar to cooked meat than dried pellets.